1. Broodiness: Ducks need to be broody to sit on their eggs. Broodiness is a hormonal condition that makes ducks go into a nesting phase. If a duck is not broody, she might not feel the urge to sit on her eggs.
2. Egg Quality: If a duck's eggs are not fertile or are damaged, she might abandon the nest. Ducks can sense the viability of their eggs and may choose not to invest energy in incubating eggs that are unlikely to hatch.
3. Disturbances: Ducks can be easily disturbed during incubation. If the nesting area is too noisy, has frequent human or animal interference, or experiences extreme weather conditions, the duck might feel stressed and leave her eggs.
4. Illness: If a duck is sick, injured, or malnourished, she might not have the energy or capability to sit on her eggs.
5. Predators: If the duck feels threatened by predators or her nest is compromised, she might abandon the eggs to protect herself and her other ducklings.
6. Inexperience: First-time mothers might not be familiar with the process of incubating eggs and may need some time and experience to develop their nesting instincts.
If a duck does not sit on her eggs, it's essential to identify the underlying cause and address it to ensure the eggs are properly incubated. Intervention might be necessary, such as providing a safe nesting environment or artificially incubating the eggs, to improve the chances of successful hatching.